


The Night We Met

by Baby_Doll



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Famous Harry, First Time, Fluff, M/M, Niall has a dog and the dog is blind, Non-Famous Niall, The ending is just a simple gesture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 17:16:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17308646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baby_Doll/pseuds/Baby_Doll
Summary: Niall and Harry meet in a backyard and bond over cupcakes.





	The Night We Met

**Author's Note:**

> Hi. This isn't edited at all. I'm working on a fic that I started in September and I just need to post this so I don't feel had.  
> I'll go over it at some point and try to fix it.

**_I am not the only traveler_ **

**_who has not repaid his debt_ **

**_I’ve been searching for a trail to follow again_ **

**_Take me back to the night we met_ **

 

 

It goes like this.

Niall meets Harry the night they bring the birthday cake to Gemma’s boyfriend’s birthday party.

Niall had been lounging outside by himself, even though it was below 55 degrees outside. He had been feeling very overwhelmed by everything and anything since the beginning of the week and the empty backyard on that Saturday night was an escape. It was the escape from the constant voice in his head that was telling him that he wasn’t trying hard enough and it was the escape from all the sad smiles thrown his way all week long.

The sun was already set, but the sky was empty and it was making him feel more alone. He pulled his scarf tighter around his neck and took a deep breath. He slowly released air through his nose and fully leaned back on the white lawn chair. Niall watched as the puffed white air slowly diminished into the air and wished it was him instead. Goodness, what fucking week had it been. 

Niall knew that he wasn’t the only stressed. Fall season had started at the bakery and suddenly 24 hours in a day didn’t seem enough to do everything that needed to be done. But today, Niall was about ready to rip out all his hair. He had to wake up at ass o’clock (3:30 am) after a late night out. He arrived late to the bakery (Niall couldn’t remember where he had thrown his keys last night and Paul wouldn’t stop nipping at his feet), but thank god for Eleanor who was already working on the first set of tiers for the first of two wedding cakes they had to deliver. Louis had been hauling out sacks of flour of van, which they should’ve the other day, but they didn’t because it was too cold outside. The excuses they’d make to not do shit.

And now it was biting him in his butt.

 

 

 

_Niall arrived pinked cheek and with heavy eyes._

_“You’re late,” Eleanor said as he passed into the back room._

_Niall rolled his eyes, “I know.” And the promptly slammed the door behind him. Guilt quickly started to settle in his chest for being so mean to Eleanor. To poor Eleanor who had just simply been frosting a cake. Niall hung his coat, grabbed a hairnet and got to working. He walked out with a small frown and said, “Sorry, it’s just a bad morning. I’m tired.”_

_“It’s okay,” Eleanor smiled at him. “Why were you up so late?”_

_“Couldn’t go to sleep.”_

_“That sucks. God, who even has a wedding at 7 in the morning.”_

_Niall laughs and takes his index finger to swipe inside the bowl of the buttercream and licks it off, “El, I’ll have you know that brunch weddings are the newest trend.”_

 

Niall watched the stars appear one by one each filling the dark sky with light. He could really use a smoke now. He thought back to the blunt he had rolled after he got home and was going to smoke, but got distracted as Paul started barking at him for a cuddle. He had swiftly picked up his dog and went to lay on the couch for a quick nap. Niall looked at his phone for the time, it wasn’t late, just past half of seven but he already felt dead tired. He wanted his bed and his weed.

Niall went back to looking at the stars, forcing himself not to think about anything. Sometimes his head felt like it weighed a ton with all of his thoughts, none of them clear enough for him to understand. Niall felt his head become lighter and sighed at the relief of the pressure. It wasn’t a lot but it was something. He didn’t understand how exactly to stop thinking and sit in silence with a blank mind. It seemed too hard not to think about anything. It was too hard especially when he had a lot of shit to do. He faintly heard the door click open and shut again behind him. He didn’t turn to see who it was, probably Eleanor with a pity smile for him.

“I brought you cupcake,” Niall startled at the deep voice and gripped at his cardigan. Defiantly not Eleanor or Louis. “They’re really good. I think you’ll like them.” 

Niall looked to right side as Harry Styles sat to the lawn chair besides him.

Niall will admit this much. He was star struck for 5 seconds or so. There sat Harry Styles, actor, singer, whatever else he did, with two cupcakes his hands. Two cupcakes, that him, Niall, had made. He felt spaced out for a moment or so. All his thoughts disappearing in an instant. After those five seconds or so Niall shook his head quickly trying to regain his thoughts.

“Oh! Do you not like cupcakes?”

Niall looked at Harry. Niall’s looking directly at his long hair tied into a bun on top his head. Harry’s smile faltered for a second when Niall didn’t respond. Niall shook his head again trying to find his words.  

“No, I do. Thank you,” Niall said as he sat a little straighter and reached the cake in Harry’s right hand.

Harry’s smile regained its shine, “That one is vanilla, or do you want red velvet?”

Niall hesitated. He was a sucker for red velvet, but he would never turn down a vanilla cupcake. He would never turn down a cupcake in general. He would _never_ turn down a cupcake that Harry fucking Styles offered him. 

“Can I have the red velvet one?”

Harry carefully placed the cake in Niall’s hand and moved to sit correctly. Niall watched him as he gently peeled the paper cup off the edges. “I’ve had like four, this is my fifth one,” Harry took a big bite, frosting covering the tip of his nose. “They are just so fucking delicious.”

Suddenly, Niall felt his cheeks starting to heat up and felt himself curling into himself shyly. This was so causal. It was freaking Niall out. Here sat one of the most famous people to exist on earth eating a cupcake and getting frosting on his nose. Niall willed himself to look away. His teenage self was for sure freaking out.

He swallowed loudly before clearing his throat. Harry wasn’t the only big celebrity to compliment his work, but for some reason when Harry said it Niall wanted to melt into the ground. Harry Styles wasn’t that _special_. Maybe it was because Harry’s voice was deep and sounded like honey slowly dripping down. Or that Niall spent his teen years watching every Harry Styles interview, running some fan blog and doodling ‘Niall Styles’ in his math journal. Maybe that was it, Niall wasn’t sure. 

“Thank You,” Niall said again but this time in exchange of the compliment. “I wasn’t sure if people stilled liked vanilla cupcakes.”

Harry looked at him, brows furrowed and pointed a finger at him. He spoke with his mouth full, “You _made_ these?”

Niall smiled a sense of pride filling him up. He made the best cupcakes, he really, really did. His mom said so anyways. Harry munched on his cake his now wide eyes looking at him. “Yeah, Gemma didn’t really give me any specifics, so I just kinda went the safe way, nothing too fancy, avoiding nuts ya’know just in case someone is allergic. So, I went with vanilla, chocolate, red, and I think I made some of carrot cake so whoever got those got a surprise.”

Harry looked at him with a glint in his eyes, “You made three actually. You made three carrot cake cupcakes,” Harry swiped at his nose, “I ate all of them… along with a red one.”

“Really?” Niall took a bite out of his. He made the best cupcakes in the world. Harry Styles could confirm that.

“They were very good. Best cupcakes ever. Did you make the cake too?”

Niall shook his head, “Nah, Eleanor did.”

“I’m Harry,” Harry stuck his hand out. Niall already knew, but whatever.

Harry’s hand was firm and warm and a lot bigger than Niall’s hand, “Niall.”

“So, Niall tell me, how do you know my sister Gemma?”

Niall wasn’t stupid. He knew Gemma’s brother was the Harry Styles, he just didn’t expect to ever meet him. He has become friends with Gemma because she was kind and had a great sense of humor not because of her brother.

“Um, well, she does my taxes. Sometimes we go for lunch together.”

“Ah, yes, she is very smart with numbers.”

“Very smart,” Niall agreed. He had once sat next to her while she recounted the bakery’s earnings and gave himself a headache. “I give myself a headache just watching her deal with numbers.”

Harry laughed, “Me too. I’m not that smart.”

“Everyone is smart.”

Harry shrugged off the comment, “Yeah, not me. Are you cold?” Harry asked as he looked at Niall’s thin cardigan. He didn’t have a lot of time to change after he go home and took a two-hour nap. He didn’t even shower. Instead he drowned himself in perfume praying that the overwhelmingly smell of frosting went away.

Niall in fact was cold, but he knew if he would go inside he would feel suffocated and start sweating like crazy. He rather freeze than go inside. “A bit, but I don’t mind.”

“Am I bothering you?” Harry asked. The question caught Niall of guard. For a moment, Niall not understanding what he said because his head was so fuzzy. He may not be stupid, but he certainly was starting to feel stupid. He head fogging up for no apparent reason.

“Nah, just had a bit of a headache and it was a bit loud in there,” Niall said. He pushed up his glasses up and looked at the perfect cupcake still in his hand. He peeled the wrapper and took a bite making sure none of the frosting getting on his nose.  

“I saw you come out here. I followed you.”

Niall stared at Harry. Niall chewed thoughtfully. There was no denying that Harry was attractive. Bright green eyes, a straight (a bit big but that’s why Niall was so infatuated at 16) nose, nice brows framing his face, pink pouty lips. Harry’s soothing voice made him ever more attractive, deep and rumbling.

Niall didn’t know what to do with that information. “Oh.”

“You looked overwhelmed. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I am, thank you,” Niall felt like he was giving endless “thank yous” to Harry, but it was really nice of Harry to check on a total stranger. “Just been a long day.”

Harry hums in agreement, “I feel you. I haven’t slept since yesterday afternoon.” Niall looked him in horror. Harry gave a dry laugh, “I had to fly from Australia to L.A. then drove all the way here. I promised Gemma that I would come. I hadn’t seen her or mom in months.” Niall watched as Harry tucked the wrapper of the cupcake into his pocket.

“I went to bed late last night and had to wake up really fucking early today. Saturdays are always the busiest.”

“You have a bakery I’m guessing.”

Niall nodded, “Yeah. Today was a bit hectic to say the least.”

“Tell me about your day,” Harry said. Niall twisted in his chair and looked at Harry dead in the eyes.

“Yeah?”

Harry genuinely looked interested. “Yeah, wanna hear all about it.”

“Well,” Niall started, he didn’t think twice about talking about his day. Harry asked and Niall needed to let out his feelings. Niall brought his hand to his mouth to chew on his nails, but quickly snapped out of that habit. He instead swiped a finger into the frosting and brought it to his mouth and sucking it off. “I went to have dinner with my ma and dad last night. I ended staying a lot longer that I was supposed to. We just got talking and stuff. And when I looked at the time it wasn’t, like, late, but I had forgotten to walk Paul, my dog, wh—”

“Ooo, what type of dog do you have?”

“He’s a beagle.”

“Mmm, they are so cute. Sorry, go on." 

“So, when I got back home, I walked him, but suddenly it was midnight and I wasn’t even sure how the time flew so fast. Paul fell asleep on way back. Then by the time I got back I had to shower and I went to bed. I couldn’t sleep though. And when I did it was like 2 and I had to wake up at half of 3. Just as I was out the door I couldn’t find my keys and Paul started barking so I had to back and tell him to sleep. And I probably sound so whiny,” Niall finished with a big sigh and closed his eyes. And in that moment in time Niall didn’t even care how he sounded. He was just thankful that someone asked him how he is feeling. Someone else than Eleanor and his mother. Someone else that didn’t know how shitty he was starting to feel.

“I’m sorry that your day had to go like that,” Niall felt a Harry’s hand pat arm.

“Tell me about your day,” Niall said. He didn’t want to come off rude, but sometimes his curiosity got the best out of him.

“Not much to tell actually. I was down under for a week or so, just doing some work. I had plenty time to sleep on flight, but I couldn’t. I was restless the whole flight. I almost did fall asleep driving here, but got some coffee.”

Niall bit his lower lip and looked at Harry with wide eyes. He wanted to ask what he did when he was in Australia. Niall didn’t really keep up with celebrities and stuff. Not anymore, he stopped when he was 18 and Harry unknowingly broke his heart after a whole sex scandal. Sure, he had Instagram and snapchat, but it was just everyone else’s and the one for the bakery was just a bunch of pictures of cakes and group shots standing next to cakes. But Niall didn’t exactly go out of his way to type, “ _Are Bella Hadid and The Weeknd still dating_?” into google just to give himself pleasure. 

Niall instead says, “You must be very tired.”

Harry laughs, “Yeah. I could probably go to sleep right now," Harry clears his throat and Niall can see that his cheeks are now a lovely shade of red. “Did you like the food? 

Niall devoured his food once it was placed in front of him. His burger has been cooked right to his liking (very well done, anything less from well done was disgusting to him) and his fries were the perfect mix of greasy and salty. “I loved the food. Very good burgers.”

Harry smiles wide and Niall can see his perfect white teeth. “I made them!”

It’s not that Niall didn’t expect Harry to cook or to make good burgers. It was the fact that Niall didn’t know him and their conversation at the moment was a bit too friendly for his liking. Niall was far from shy, but he was always very cautious towards new people. It would take him a while to warm up too people he knew he would hang out later and later. And now with Harry talking to him and asking for details about his day was making Niall’s head spin.

He really needed that fucking blunt. And a good night rest.

“They were wonderful!” Niall says. Harry beams. Niall could feel his headache growing again and let out a sigh.

Harry frowned. “Are you okay?”

Niall nodded, “Yeah, I just have this stupid headache.”

“Do you want ibuprofen? I have some in my bag.”

Niall shook his head. He wanted his weed. “I think I just need to go home,” Niall said and brought his hands to head and began putting pressure at his temples. “God, you probably think I’m so whiny. All I’ve done is complain.” Sometimes Niall hated himself. Not literally, but sometimes he felt like a complete idiot. Just like right now. The whole conversation between them seemed that’s all he did, besides saying “thank you” a lot, was just complaining about shit.

Harry shook his head, “Not at all. Actually, you kind of made me like not as stressed as I was when I arrived here.”

Niall closes his eyes not quite believing Harry. People had the tendency to talk bullshit. “I’ll walk you to your car,” Niall can hear the sympathy in Harry’s voice. He obviously saw Niall was feeling. 

Niall shook his head again, “Um, I came with Lou and El, they picked me up. Didn’t feel like driving.” Niall looked at Harry with sad eyes. He just really wanted to be home.

“I can take you,” Harry offered.

“You wouldn’t mind?”

“Nah, a drive can do me some good. You don’t live far, right?”

“No I don’t,” Niall answered and squints his eyes at Harry, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, no problem.”

“You don’t think I’m being a brat or somethin’,” Niall tried to smile. He wasn’t really thinking.

Harry laughed and stood from his seat, “You’re not a brat. If anything, you’re a princess. You have blessed us mere peasant with amazing cupcakes.”  

Niall chokes at the word, “Princess” his throat goes tight, his cheeks start to burn. The earth stops rotating in that second. His cheeks flush and his heart thumps harder in his chest. _That fucking name coming from Harry Styles’ lips_. Niall sucks his lower lip into his mouth trying to hold the whimper now stuck in his throat. He looks at Harry, and he _knows_ , Niall knows that Harry knows what that word did to him. Niall watches as Harry’s eyes darken and his stare becomes heavy on him. Niall forces himself to look away into the darkness of the background. He begs for the cold to cool his cheeks.

Niall stands up and adjust his cardigan and looks at Harry hoping he doesn’t look as flushed when Harry spoke the word.

“Um, still sure?” Niall asks

Harry chuckles, “Yeah.”

Niall smiles at him, “I should go tell them I’m leaving.”

Niall stuffs the rest of his cupcake into his mouth as discreetly as he can.

 

 

Niall ignores how Eleanor’s eyes nearly pop out of her head.

“Sooo, _Harry’s_ taking you home,” Eleanor says and looks between them. She’s openly cringing at the idea and Niall can clearly see Harry looking at her in surprise as he thought Eleanor was going to do something bad to Niall. 

“Yeah,” Niall looks at Harry just to make sure if Harry wasn’t looking like he would take back the offer.

Gemma brings her hand to her mouth trying to hide her smile, but her eyes go crinkly as her smile widens even more. Anne’s smiling softly, she looks relaxed. Niall thinks it’s because of the wine in her hands

Louis claps his hands and pulls him into a tight hug, “Well, if you gotta go then you gotta go. Call me tomorrow, okay. Feel Better.' 

Eleanor looks torn like if she doesn’t know if she should be worried or be excited that a popstar is taking Niall or that a _popstar_ is taking Niall home.

“Text me when you get home,” Eleanor says a little louder than needed making sure Harry hears her words. Niall looks at Harry for his reaction, but he simply nods and presses his lips together.

“Okay,” Niall says and looks at Gemma and Michael one last time, “Thank you for inviting me. It was lovely. Happy Birthday dude,” Niall ends with a smile towards Michael.

Gemma pulls him for a hug, “Thank Niall, the cupcakes were amazing,” she pulls back, “Just ask my brother,” Gemma winks at him. He turns to Anne, who hugs him and rubs his back with the whisper of _‘it was lovely seeing you Niall’_

Harry coughs at his sister comment, “Niall, if your ready…”

Niall nods and waves goodbye. He should’ve stayed.

 

 

 

The cold air makes Niall shiver. There’s a whole lot of cars in front of the house. He spots Eleanor’s car and for a second Niall second guesses himself. Accepting rides from strangers? That usually ended up with someone getting killed. Niall could hear his mother’s voice in his head, _“Darling, my baby, never ever get into a car with a stranger. They will either kill you or I’ll find you and kill you for being so fucking stupid that you got into a stranger’s car.”_ Even his five-year-old self was shaking his head at him.

“My car’s this way,” Harry leads to the left. Niall watches him walk. Tight black skinny jeans clung to his legs and his leather boots scuffing at the pebbled driveway. 

“You’re not gonna murder me right,” Niall blurts. The thought of being killed didn’t seem too keen to him. He still had a lot to do in life. 

Harry turns to look at him and laughs, “I am not going to kill you, Niall.”

“Oh, okay,” Niall sighs in relief. If Harry said he wasn’t going to kill him then okay. Even if he was Niall was pretty sure they’d arrest him. It didn’t matter if Harry was famous and stuff. It would probably become a high-profile case because of that fact. Niall could see the headlines,

 

**_“Murderer Styles convicted of killing senseless baker!”_ **

****

Harry being the gentleman he is opens Niall’s door for him. “Thanks,” Niall climbs in. Harry’s Range Rover is spotless clean, not that Niall expected a dirty car.

“Why didn’t you bring a thicker sweater?” Harry ask as he slides in.

Niall thinks. He knew it was going to be cold, it was always cold, but he had been cuddling with his dog when Louis called and said they were waiting for him so he simply grabbed his scarf and the nearest sweater. A think cardigan hanging off the sofa.

“I was in a hurry,” Niall said. He quickly adds, “But I’m not that cold.” He was such a liar and a shitty one too. Harry looked at him clearly not believing a word he said. Harry turned up the heat. 

“Do I go left, or right?”

“Left and keep going straight until you hit maple and turn right. My apartment complex should be on the right.”

“Gotcha,” Harry pulls out. “Wow you really don’t live from Gemma.”

“No, Eleanor and Lou kinda live far from her.”

“Who’s Eleanor and Louis?”

“Well,” Niall starts, “Us three own the bakery. Eleanor is Louis’ wife and they’re my best friends.”

“Nice. That sounds fun, to work with your friends.”

Niall smiles, it was, but sometimes they got annoyed with each other. “It is, but you know it’s like any other job. You will get annoyed by them.”

“So, do you have a girlfriend?” Harry asks and Niall looks outside the window and raises his brows in the way Harry confidently approaches the subjec. He knew what Harry was doing. He was trying to be nosy. 

“Nah, I’m not into women.” Niall doesn’t look for Harry reaction.

“Boyfriend then?”

“Nope,” Niall pops the p, “Single as can be." 

Niall doesn’t ask if Harry has a girlfriend. He could probably look up on line.

“How exactly did you meet my sister?”

“Michael is Paul’s vet. Gemma happened to be there one day and we got talking and now she does my taxes.”

“Oh.”

Niall snorts and turns to look at Harry, “Were you expecting something more exciting? We go out for lunch sometimes and dinner. She knows where I live.”

“I’m not sure what I was expecting,” Harry says and parks the car. “Is this it?" 

Niall looks out and there he was. His home, just a few feet away. Paul probably waiting for him.

“Yeah,” Niall unbuckles himself and suddenly surges forward when Harry puts the car in drive again.

“What’s the code?” Harry stops at the gate.

“1738,” Niall can’t help but laugh.

“For real?”

Niall nods, “It’s been that since before the song. The manger hasn’t bothered to change it.”  

Harry reaches out and the gate opens, “Where’s your apartment?”

“All the way at the end.”

Niall stays in his seat. He technically should just hop out and say, “Thanks for the ride!” and close the door shut, but his dumbass self suggests at another idea. Niall was dead tired his plan was to simply shower and go to bed, but now Niall wanted to invite Harry in. It seemed rude not to invite him.

Niall internally cringed at himself. Why would Harry even want to come? He just given Niall a ride to his home and probably wanted to go to his sister’s. Harry didn’t seem as judgmental person. It wasn’t like Niall would be embarrassed to invite him in. No. Niall knew his apartment was nice and he’d paid the price to find a nice apartment that was pet friendly. His apartment was in a nice neighborhood, the dog park not far away, not far from his parents, and a nice distant from his work. Niall thought he chose a very great place to live. Now he just wanted to show Harry.

The thing was that Harry seemed like nice company. Niall wouldn’t mind talking to him more. In fact, he would’ve stayed at the party if it wasn’t too loud and Harry was talking to him.

“Well...” Harry says staring straight ahead.

Niall says the words before he even manages to stop himself.

“Do you wanna come in? For coffee or tea? For like giving me a ride.”

Harry looks at Niall so fast Niall wonders how he didn’t get whiplash.

“Yeah, that sounds nice. Where should I park?”

“There’s a guest parking right next to my car,” Niall points to the empty space between the wall and a dark blue sleek car.

Niall learns this much. Harry fucking sucks at parking. He reverses and then pulls in, but he doesn’t make it, so he reverses again and Niall isn’t sure how they ended so crooked. Niall almost offers to park the car himself, but at last Harry pulls in. Niall climbs out and sees Harry’s parked way past where the line is drawn and the tires are twisted in a weird position. Niall’s never seen worse parking than Harry’s.  

“Oh, shit I didn’t park right,” Harry said as he stares at his own car. Niall can’t help but laugh. Yup, Harry was the shittiest parker.

“It’s fine,” Niall says, “No one will care.”

Harry nods, “Do you live in upstairs apartment?" 

“Yeah, you don’t mind walking stairs.”

Niall rolls his eyes at himself. He could clearly see that Harry wouldn’t mind climbing up stairs. Harry had some impressive thighs.

“Nah.”

 

 

Niall doesn’t ask the question till he has the key in the lock, he turns around in a hurry, “You’re not allergic to dogs, right?”

“No, I am not." 

Niall sighs in relief, “Okay, good. Some people are allergic but still get close.”

The minute Niall unlocks the door Paul starts barking. Niall wanders until he finds the light switch and sees Paul perched on the arm of the couch barking into the air. “I’m over here buddy…can you close the door.”

Niall watched as Paul stumbled off the couch and sniffed his way to Niall. Paul paused for a moment as he detected a new smell. Paul plopped himself on the floor, wagging his tail and sniffing the air.

Niall glances at Harry, who’s standing by the door still, his eyes on Paul.

“I’m over here buddy,” Niall calls out again. Paul scrambles towards his voice. Niall crouches down as Paul start sniffing at his feet. “It’s me Paul,” Niall picks him up and turns to Harry, “Paul’s blind.”

Harry shuffles closer, but seems a bit out of place. Niall meets him halfway, “He has to smell you first.”

“Is it alright if I take him?" 

Niall hands his dog over. He usually didn’t let people get quite close. Paul would get overwhelmed and start crying. Niall’s heart twisted at the thought.

“How old is he?”

Niall watches as Paul sniffs at Harry’s neck. “He’s three. He’d been the longest puppy staying at the shelter. No one wanted him ‘cause he was blind so I just took him.”

“He’s lovely,” Harry presses his cheek against Paul’s face.

Niall smiles, “Thank you. So do want coffee, tea, water? The coffee is decaf.”

Harry looked up from Paul, “Tea sounds good.”

“I will be right back, you can sit down if you want and turn on the T.V.”

The second Niall enters his kitchen his eyes go to the small tub holding the blunt he made earlier. He needed to smoke it. It would help with his headache. Niall stared at the blunt wondering if Harry smoke. He walked over and stood on his tip toes and grabbed the tub. He set it aside and got two mugs out. He set the water to boil and started digging through his tea bags. Shit. He didn’t ask Harry what type he wanted.

Niall decided to go with chamomile tea. He needed to calm the fuck down. Niall laid the packets out and let himself fall against the kitchen counter. How did he end up here? How did he end up with Harry Styles in his living room playing with his dog just after one conversation?

The world worked in mysterious ways.

Niall comes back to the sight of Harry sitting on his couch with Paul laid on top his thighs. Harry’s reading a magazine. Niall sighs making his presence known. 

Harry turns around and says, “You’re famous!" 

Niall lets out a laugh, “Not really. It was just a small interview about the bakery." 

“But you’re in like three different magazines! Along with your friends! My mom reads these types of magazines,” Harry says flipping through the pages.

Niall smiles. Yes, their bakery was kind of a big deal. They had made some cakes and such for a few celebrities which gave them a bit of fame within the baking world. It wasn’t nothing too fancy, just a reporter from those home magazines coming and asking them questions of how they got started and so forth. Niall’s mom had each magazine framed. Niall was very proud of himself.

Harry sets aside the magazine and starts petting Paul’s head. “How long have you had the bakery?”

“Three years,” Niall settles down next to him. He watches as Paul turns over demanding for a belly rub.

“Good for you, making it big already.”

“Mmhm.”

“How old are you?” 

“26, you?”

“26 too.”

Niall swallows before he asks, “Do you smoke?” 

Harry furrows his eyebrows, “Like cigarettes?”

Niall shakes his head and looks at Harry with burning cheeks. God, what if Harry thought he was a drug addict. “No, cigarettes are nasty. I mean do you smoke weed?”

Harry smiles, “Yeah I do. Why?”

“I have a blunt and I was going to smoke it and since you’re here now maybe you’d want to smoke it too.”

“Yeah that sounds nice. Thanks.”

Niall smiles at Harry. Harry smiles at Niall. There was a whole a lot of smiling. Niall stands just as the kettle starts to whistle, “I’ll be back.”

Niall comes back with two mugs and settles on in front of Harry on his coffee table and sets his next to Harry’s. He quickly walks back and grabs the tub. Before sitting down, he slides the patio door open a dust a cold wind entering the apartment. 

“Your place is really nice. Very homey,” Harry said as he looked around. 

Niall took pride in his home. His apartment consisted of contemporary designs with a basic lay of comfort. He decorated it himself. His mom helped him a bit, but it was mostly him. The walls painted a warm cream color. One wall painted a dusty gray, multiple pictures hung on that wall. The living room having wood flooring with a cream fluffy carpet laying on top. Shelves decorated the walls, some holding plants, candles, others holding books. The sofa and love seat sat with matching throw pillows, except one on each couch that didn’t go with the rest. Niall thought that the throw pillow with watermelons printed all over and the other having a pineapple printed add a bit of fun to his home. 

Though the upstairs apartments had a smaller patio Niall lived for the times he could spend out there. That was the only part that Niall had allowed his mom to help him. His mother had found him a small table with two chairs, large potted plants and Niall would always be thankful for his mom come up with the idea of decorating the brick walls separating him from his neighbors giving them all privacy. So yes, Niall was proud of his apartment. He had the money to live there so there he was.

“Thanks, I decorated it myself. Hey, do you mind sitting outside, I usually sit out here to smoke.”

“Not at all,” Harry carefully lifted Paul off him and left the dog snoozing between the cushions. Harry grabbed the mugs and followed Niall. 

Niall connected the fairy lights that hung from the railing and settled down with his lighter. “Seriously, your apartment is nice. I like the privacy of the patio,” Harry said and sat down. Niall looked at Harry who now looked uncomfortable. Well shit. Niall already fucked up. Harry shook his head, “Niall… do you know…” Harry sounded like he was embarrassed, “You know who I am, right?”

Niall’s eyebrows shot up. He didn’t expect that. Niall flicked the lighter on and brought the blunt to his mouth, he fired it up and took in a deep breath of smoke. Niall let out the smoke slowly. He watched Harry, who was now looking into the vast darkness of the night.

Niall stuck his hand out offering the blunt, “Harry I’m not dumb. 

Harry looks at him with his lips pressed into a tight line. Harry took the blunt. “I mean you’re still a person. Your nice and gave me a ride home. I don’t really care if your well known. If your worried that I will tell someone you’re smoking weed – I’m not. I’ll sign a NDA if you want me too.”

Harry huffed the smoke out, “It’s not that.”

Niall tilted his head in confusion, his eyebrows pinching together. “Gemma’s my friend – I wouldn’t – what is it?”

Harry took another hit, “No it’s not that – It’s just that sitting here outside with brick walls surrounding us has been the most privacy I have had in ages. It made me feel like…I don’t know. I’m just really happy I decided to follow you.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s the weed talking.”

Harry cackles, his eyes turning red, “I’m serious. You are very nice and make the best cupcakes. 

Niall chokes on the smoke as he tried to laugh at the same time. “Imma put some music on. I know the best song to get high too.”

Niall scrolled through his phone and clicked on the song.

 

_“You’re just too good to be true_

_I can’t take off my eyes off you_

_You’d be like heaven to touch”_

“Lauryn Hill. Love her voice,” Harry said and started humming along the song. “I love the song in general, but her rendition is like fucking masterpiece ya’know.”

Niall and Harry started singing in unison,

 

_“Oh, pretty baby_

_Don’t let me down I pray_

_Oh, pretty baby_

_Now that I’ve found you stay_

_And met me love you, oh baby”_

 

“You have a really nice voice, Niall.”

“Thanks. You have a really nice voice too dude.”

Harry smiled, “Do your neighbors mind you smoking?”

“Nope,” Niall takes the last hit before it burns out, “I actually have a medical prescription for marijuana. Plus, I’m pretty sure my neighbor to the right has a plant in her room. She sometimes gives me edibles and my neighbor to the right, he sometimes smokes with me. So, nah they don’t mind.”

“Why do you have a prescription?”

“I hurt my knee a while back, actually when I was a teenager. It still really hurts so here I am smoking to get rid of the pain. I have had some surgeries for it and it’s alright but I don’t think it will get better, better." 

Harry hums and responds, “So was your knee hurting right now?”

Niall smiles at Harry, his cheeks tinting pink, “No, I actually just had a headache.”

“Well I hope it’s gone now,” Harry said with a smile, “I’m actually really fucking high right now.”

Niall laughs out loud and reaches for his tea, “Yeah, I get it from a dispensary so it’s some real shit.”

Harry relaxes in his chair, sipping his tea. Paul wanders his way outside and sniffs around for Niall. Once he finds him Paul jumps at his legs, Niall smiles and picks him up, “Hi, my love.”

“Why the name Paul?” Harry asks.

Niall shrugs, “The shelter named the puppies and they named him Paul. I didn’t want to change it so he’s just Paul. Not Pauly, just Paul.”

“Like Paul Rudd.”

“I suppose so.”

 

 

Niall can’t stop laughing. His stomach hurts and his body feels weak. Harry looks at him with wide eyes as they both laugh.

“It’s true!” Harry insists, “It was my first after party and the cake already had a piece cut out so I was like “Hey, maybe I’ll grab some” keep in mind I was like 16 and drunk off my ass.”

“I can’t believe you ruined Justin Bieber’s birthday cake,” Niall laughed even harder.

“The cake tasted kinda shitty, but I was drunk and everything tasted good at the moment.”

“What did your mom say?”

Harry groaned at the memory, “She was so mad that I was drunk. That I got drunk and that it was adults giving me the drinks. She gave me a whole lesson about how fame can impact your health and all.”

Niall hesitates before he asks the question, “Is it hard being famous?” 

Harry nods thoughtfully, “At times yeah, but I chose this path. I can’t complain about my job. I’m doing what I love and at the end of the day I wouldn’t change any of it. You’ve only had the bakery for 3 years?" 

“Three years,” Niall confirms. 

“Just three years? It seems longer with all the success you’ve had."

Niall shook his head, “Nah. I went to university right after high school and graduated and did some other stuff before that.”

“So, you’re a smarty pants?”

Niall shakes his head and smile on his lips. He wasn’t sure if he was imaging it, but Harry was scooting closer and closer on the couch. He had a hand on Niall’s thigh and Niall was pretty sure they were flirting at some point another. “I liked going to school. I like learning.”

“What did you major in?”

“History. Are you hungry?” Niall asks. Before Harry could answer, Niall’s house phone started ringing. Niall jumped up to get it, Harry’s hand landing limp on the sofa.

“Hello,” Niall answers the phone.

“Niall! Why didn’t you text me! Why aren’t you answering your phone! I have tried calling about a hundred times already.”

Niall mentally face palms himself. He forgot to text Eleanor he was home.

“Niall!”

Niall glances at Harry who is now fumbling with his phone. Niall slides into the hallway, “I’m sorry. I forgot." 

“Niall, I was about to call Maura! Do you even know what time it is? God, so help me if I would ever call Maura at two in the morning.”

Niall rubs his hand over his face, “Well I’m home so yeah. I’m good. No need to call my mother.”

“Why aren’t you asleep?”

Niall rolls his eyes, sometimes Eleanor was a bit overbearing. “I’m not tired anymore.”

Niall can practically hear Eleanor thinking. “Is Harry there with you?”

Niall doesn’t bother lying, “Yeah, I invited him in for tea as in exchange for giving me a ride home.”

“And he _hasn’t_ left. Niall it’s two in the fucking morning and he’s _still_ there.”

Niall rolls his eyes, “It’s not two in the morning dummy. It’s like ten. Let me be.”

“Goodness Niall, it’s two in the morning. Go check a clock. You two must have been doing some real important shit that you couldn’t even look at your phone and check the time.”

Niall pats at his pockets, his phone isn’t there. Must have left it in the kitchen. Instead Niall walks to his room, opens the door and yup, in bright blue it reads 2:26 am. Fuck.

“Oh.”

“Niall did you have se—”

“No!” Niall yelled into the phone. “I gotta go El, talk to you tomorrow.” Niall hangs up before she can say anything in return.

When Niall returns to his living room Harry giving Paul a belly rub.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Niall isn’t sure what’s supposed to happen now. “It’s like two in the morning.”

Harry stands and gently moves Paul so he can stand, “I should probably go.”

There are moments where Niall doesn’t understand how at times he can be so open and then there are other times where he can’t even talk to people because he’s too shy. But with Harry there was a mixture for him. Harry who made him want to crawl into his bed and never come out because all the attention, but also not wanting to crawl into his bed because of all the attention.

The thing was that Niall didn’t want Harry to go. Not yet.

“I don’t think you should drive,” Niall starts and tugs at his cardigan just to keep his hands busy. He looks at Harry who looks a bit off, his expensive pea coat probably smelling of weed, his bun on top of his head now starting to drip down. “I mean you smoked and it’s not safe to drive under the influence. It was really strong stuff.”

Niall pushed up his glasses trying to get a better picture of Harry. Niall’s heart starting to beat at a faster pace and his face feeling hot. “I have a guest bedroom you can stay. You can shower too and stuff. I just don’t think Gemma would be very happy if I let you drive under the influence.”

Harry stays quiet for a moment to long and Niall starts to feel like an idiot. Niall shakes his head at himself and starts for the door.

“I don’t think Gemma would like it if I drove under the influence either.”

Niall sags in relief. He didn’t even realize that tension was starting to build on his body.

“So, you’ll stay?” Niall asks.

Harry smiles, “I’d love to stay here tonight.”

Niall smiles back and takes in a shuddery breath as Harry steps closer to him. Harry isn’t much taller, but Niall still has to look up to see Harry’s green eyes. He doesn’t have a chance to stare at the green eyes for long, because suddenly there’s no space between them. 

Niall presses his lips to Harry’s. He doesn’t think Harry will sleep in the guest room.

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](http://peoniesmylove.tumblr.com/)  
> Let me know what you think. The ending is supposed to open to your imagination about what happens next in their relationship.


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